Finding a lawyer is difficult; especially when living in a place as big as New York. Thankfully, the New York State Bar Association has the Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS). Founded 35 years ago, the LRIS helps New York residents find a qualified attorney practicing in or near their community.

In 2016, the LRIS trained its staff to handle more than 10,000 phone calls a day. Additionally, the organization recently launched a new online portal. The online service is more convenient and easier to use. New York residents feel more confident about their lawyer knowing every lawyer referred by the LRIS is in good standing with the State Bar Association.

The online service works much like the phone service; except, it’s online. A New York resident fills out a confidential questionnaire detailing their legal matter. That questionnaire gets reviewed a State Bar staff member and matched with an attorney with offices in or near that resident’s community.

There’s no obligation for anyone to retain the matched with lawyer. All referrals are free, but the first 30-minute consultation has a $35 fee; there are exceptions for certain types of legal matters, including things like personal injury and medical malpractice.

Many New York lawyers use the LRIS’s new service as a form of free advertising. It’s an excellent way to expand their client pool for free. One such lawyer benefitting from this is Jeremy Goldstein. Shortly after leaving Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Mr. Goldstein founded Jeremy L. Goldstein & Associates.

Mr. Goldstein’s boutique firm advises compensation committees, high-profile CEOs, management teams, and corporations on matters of executive compensation and corporate governance. Jeremy Goldstein is one of the country’s foremost leading lawyers on matters such as these.